Jahoda testified that when he approached Infelise with a plan for casino gambling in 1982, the head of the Ferriola street crew told him "it was safer to work in Lake County than anywhere else."
The lucrative operation shut down after only 15 or 16 nights in business apparently because of surveillance by the Illinois State Police, Jahoda testified, "Infelise said we're close to having headaches here. Close it down," Jahoda said.
With estimated profits of more than $500,000 between May and July of 1982, the mob casino operation was run from a Libertyville Township home. The casino home was also the site of the murder of independent bookmaker Robert Plummer, whose badly beaten body was discovered in a car trunk in Mundelein in 1982. "The last time I saw him he was being pinned to a wall," on a staircase of the home by an attacker who wore a nylon mask, Jahoda said.
Infelisi was convicted in March 1992 or rackatering and murder conspiracy.
Rocco Infelise's Parting Shots
August 20, 1993
Facing 63 years in prison, aging organized crime boss Rocco Infelise finally spoke up and took his parting shots Thursday at the federal judge and prosecutors who unraveled his suburban gambling empire and put him behind bars, probably for the rest of his life.
"I just think that we didn't get a fair trial," said Infelise, 70, who was sentenced Thursday. Infelise, a River Forest resident, was convicted last March of heading a vast gambling enterprise that allegedly stopped at nothing, including bribery, extortion and murder, to keep afloat.
"We were fighting three prosecutors and you were the fourth," Infelise told federal trial Judge Ann C. Williams, accusing her during a sentencing hearing Thursday of being "pro prosecutor" and "pro government."
The criticism from a man who once bragged he'd paid bribes to the Cook County Sheriff's office as well as to Lake County sheriff's
employees didn't faze Williams. She said Infelise and two others, Louis Marino of Palos Park and Robert Bellavia of Addison, should be sentenced to life in prison for their crimes. Because the federal statutes don't provide for life sentences, Williams settled for the maximum allowed under law: 63 years in prison for Infelise; 30 years in prison for Bellavia; and 28 years in prison for Marino.
The three will have to serve about 85 percent of those sentences before becoming eligible for release, authorities said, and that means they'll likely stay in a federal penitentiary until they die.
"There is no question in this court's mind that this was an extensive illegal enterprise," Williams said of the crew that ran illegal gambling operations in Lake County throughout the 1980s. "The evidence was overwhelming that Mr. Infelise was the mastermind," she said.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell Mars, chief prosecutor in the case, called Infelise and his street crew "violent parasites '
"The defendants have committed crimes throughout their lives. These crimes were committed in their 40s, 50s and, in Mr Infelise's case, 60s. I submit to the court enough is enough."
Profile & Background information
Infelise was born on March 16, 1921. He became an associate of James V. "The Turk" Torello, who was also known as "The Butcher," and a mob hitman.
In April 1956, Chicago police were conducting a surveillance of a garage at the rear of 5037 W. Oakdale in Chicago. The garage contained more than $100,000 worth of stolen drugs. The owner had rented space to Thomas Gateo, who was actually Torello. On April 26, Torello, Infelise and two other men, entered the garage and were arrested but later released.
Later, Infelise would hangout at a restaurant at 8500 North Avenue, Melrose Park (3 1/2 blocks from the Jewel Foods distribution center and home office), using the address as the one he used to get his driver's license.
In 1964, he was called as a witness in the arson fire at Pedicone's Restaurant in Lyons. His wife at that time was Rosemarie. He had an ownership interest in the Guest House Restaurant, which had been burned down in 1962., and in the Lido Motel on Mannheim Road.
Infelise was subpoenaed to testify in the trial of Sam "Momo" Giancana, and he was identified as one of 15 men considered hitmen by the FBI.
In 1966, Infelise was indicted with Vincent "The Saint" Inserro on charges of failing to file his income taxes. He had come back to Chicago after operating a bookmaking office in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
He was convicted and sentenced for hijacking and sent to Leavenworth where he spent several years until he was parolled in 1972. He was given a job at McCormick Place as a laborer for Teamsters Union 714.
After another stay in the penitentiary, Infelise was released in 1975 and returned to work at JEP Trucking, which also allegedly had been partially owned by Torello. Torello died in 1979, and he was succeeded by Joseph "Joe Nagal" Ferriola.
Infelise was a constant companion with reputed mob hitman and former Chicago Cardinal Lineman Wayne Bock and Ferriola.
Notes:
50 % partner with Sam Carlisi (Bartlet) in J.E.P. Leasing. Former member of Teamsters Local 714 at McCormick Place. Associate of Sam Carlisi and Americo DePietto. Convicted in 1992. WIfe Ann Infelise (Also Infelice).
Real estate included a condominium at 1535 Forest Ave., River Forest; and residential property in Hollywood, Florida. Worked as a Teamster at McCormick Place in the 70s. DOB: March 16, 1921.
Prior Home: 1407 LeMoyne Ave, Melrose Park. Dec. 1989, friends held a $100-a-person fundraiser at the Carlisle Banquet Hall to raise $100,000 for an Infelise defense fund. Patrick Tuite was his attorney.
Infelise was indicted on Feb. 7, 1990 and convicted of 20 counts of raketeering on March 10, 1992, but the jury split on charges that he was involved in the conspiracy to murder bookie Hal Smith. Infelise was sentenced to 63 years on August 19, 1993.
Fines he paid neared $1 million and included his Hollywood, Florida mansion, his half-interest in his Riverforest condominium (co-owned with his wife, Ann) his Paine Webber investment account, JEP trucking that he co-owned with Sam Carlisi and a diamond ring and gold coins found in a bank safe-deposit box.
He was allowed to keep his individual retirement account valued at $134,229, because statutes specifically barred its forfeiture. Infelise was also ordered to repay $3 million in illegal gambling profits, and to forfeit his home at 1535 Forest Avenue. The home consists of 2 condominiums combined into one that he and his wife, Ann, purchased in 1981. Infelise was 69 at the time of the conviction handed down by US District Judge Ann C. Williams.
Infelise governed a mob betting ring based in Cicero.
In 1983 and 1984, profits from lost wages exceeded $570,000, from more than $900,000 collected. Expenses included bribes to police and judges and continued legal fees to keep FBI agents and police snoops at bay. In 1983, the gross profits had reached $1.2 million.
Infelise contended on undercover tapes collected by FBI mole William BJ Jahoda that he paid $5,000 a month to an unnamed law enforcement person Infelise refered to as "Whiskers" who provided information on police investigations into gambling and the West Side mob's activities. Infelise never divulged the name of "Whiskers," but implied that he got the name from refering to the white beard of Uncle Sam. Jahoda testified that he beleived the source was someone in the Cook County Sheriff's Office who routinely turned over information to Infelise, tipping him off to planned raids.
He also said that Infelise paid $500 a week in 1985 to a Forest Park patrol officer to perform errands. That officer was identified as Gary Doss, who left the force at the time of the Infelise trial in 1992. Jahoda said Infelise spent as much as $35,000 a month buying protection.
Infelise also maintained a "Christmas Fund" to dole out money to politicians and the wives and girlfriends of crew members who were jailed.
Prior to the 1992 trial, Infelise was arested in November 1972 and charged as a crime syndicate terrorist and commercial gambler. he lived at 1407 Lemoyne Ave in Melrose Park.
That trial focussed on links between the Infelise mob and black street narcotics peddlers.
He was convicted and sentenced to 10 years, serving several years, for heroin trafficking.
As a reward for remaining silent in prison, Infelise was given a job at McCormick Place, ostensibly to shielf illegal activities there.
A subsequent hiring scandal there forced him and other mob associates out of their McCormick place union jobs.
Infelise was a former World War II paratroop veteran. Indicted in April, 1966 for failing to pay income taxes for 1959, 60 and 62.
More than a dozen arrests for murder, burglary and a prime suspect in several arsons.
Defendants Infelise's and Bellavia's Roles in the Ferriola Street Crew
The Ferriola [**30] Street Crew's organization consisted of a "boss" or leader, assistants to the boss, supervisors of the various income producing activities, and many agents and employees who were compensated out of the earnings from those activities. From 1974 until his death in 1979, James Torello was the boss, from 1979 until his death in 1989 Joseph Ferriola was the boss, and from 1989 through the indictment of this case defendant Infelise was the boss of the Ferriola Street Crew. Supervisors of the street crew included, at various times, trial defendants Marino, Bellavia, and DeLaurentis.
For approximately 11 years, in his capacity as the chief assistant to the street crew boss and as the street crew boss, Infelise oversaw the above described illegal activities of this [*1479] sophisticated criminal organization, including coordinating and directing its gambling businesses and its street tax and juice loan activities, and supervising and participating in the bribery of law enforcement officers, judges, and public officials. Upon becoming the crew boss, Infelise also coordinated and "refereed" criminal activities of other street crews.
Beyond Infelise's general role in the Ferriola Street Crew's activities [**31] described above, Infelise took part in various other activities which must also be considered when reviewing Infelise's guideline computations. For example, Kenton Pielet acted as a 50/50 bookmaker for the crew starting in the summer of 1979 and as a 25% agent during the basketball season of 1980. During the football season of 1979, Pielet had approximately 50 betting football customers who lost approximately $ 102,000. One of Pielet's bettors, Larry Holler, lost $ 26,000 in one week. After there were difficulties in collecting Holler's debt and Holler indicated that he was going to refuse to pay, a meeting was set up between Holler, Pielet, Marino, and Zitello. Holler paid off the $ 26,000 at this meeting.
Holler was permitted to continue betting during the basketball season of 1980 and ultimately lost over $ 13,000. After Holler did not pay off his debt, a meeting was set up between Pielet, Infelise, and Marino. At this meeting, Pielet told Infelise that he tried to collect Holler's debt, but that Holler did not have the money. Infelise told Pielet that he was responsible for Holler's debt. When Pielet laughed at this suggestion, Marino slapped him on the face. Infelise then [**32] told Pielet that he would have to collect the debt and pay $ 500 per month in street tax. According to Pielet, he agreed to make the street tax payments because the slap by Marino scared him. Pielet subsequently switched to another street crew run by Sam Carlisi. This change in crew membership only occurred after Pielet obtained permission to switch and Holler's $ 13,000 debt was resolved.
Before becoming involved with Infelise and his crew, Patrick Gervais had a street tax relationship with Victor Spilotro, a boss from another crew. But, within a week of opening a house of prostitution in Lake County, Illinois, Gervais received a phone call from DeLaurentis advising him that he would have to pay a $ 3,000 per month street tax to the Ferriola Street Crew. When Gervais spoke with Spilotro about the phone call, Spilotro told Gervais not to pay DeLaurentis because "he had the muscle." Marino subsequently set up a meeting with Gervais which Spilotro also attended. When Marino and Infelise showed up for the meeting, Spilotro looked surprised to see Infelise. After Spilotro and Infelise had a brief, private discussion, Spilotro told Gervais that "I am out" and that Gervais' house of prostitution [**33] was "in their territory." Spilotro also told Gervais that he would have to deal with Marino. After Infelise's intercession, Gervais began paying street tax to the Ferriola Street Crew. Gervais paid a total of $ 12,000 to the crew to protect his Lake County house of prostitution.
George Miller, Jr. was an independent bookmaker who worked with bookmaker Hal Smith during the late 1970's. In 1980 or 1981, Miller broke away from Smith and began working as an independent bookmaker in Lake County with his father George Miller, Sr. The Millers also ran a lucrative parlay card business during this time. In 1982, Infelise, Marino, and DeLaurentis decided to take over the Millers' operation. A meeting was arranged between the Millers, Infelise, Marino, and DeLaurentis. At the meeting, Marino told the Millers that they had to split their business with them. If they did not join the crew, Infelise told them that they would smash their parlay card printing press. Marino further told them that the Ferriola Street Crew was taking over Lake County.
After this meeting, the Millers discussed their situation with other bookmakers and learned about DeLaurentis' reputation as a mob enforcer. At a second [**34] meeting with Infelise, Marino, and DeLaurentis, George Miller told them that he would join the crew's business. Infelise, Marino, and DeLaurentis subsequently took over the Millers' business on a 50/50 basis and employed George Miller in one of their wire rooms. In 1982, the crew received $ 75,000 for their 50% [*1480] interest. After 1982, George Miller basically got out of the parlay card business, but DeLaurentis warned him that if he ever got back into parlay cards again, it had "better be with us."
In the summer of 1983, Roy Salerno, one of George Miller's bettors, lost $ 100,000 in baseball wagers to Miller. Miller eventually turned the debt over to Jahoda who in turn advised Infelise about the debt. Infelise told Salerno that he would have to make monthly payments of $ 1,500 until the debt was paid off. Marino, DeLaurentis, and later, Bellavia collected these payments from Salerno for several years until Infelise "cashed out" the debt for approximately $ 10,000-$ 15,000. Miller did not receive any of the money collected by the crew.
Income from the crew's illegal activity was approximately $ 10 million from 1979 through 1988. Infelise earned close to $ 2 million from this income. [**35] Infelise took numerous steps to conceal the profits he and the crew earned from their illegal activities. For example, Infelise invested $ 700,000 in cash in a Florida property titled in the name of his mother-in-law. Infelise and Bellavia also proposed another real estate deal to Jahoda in which he hoped to hide his $ 200,000 investment.
Prior to 1986, Bellavia was one of Infelise's trusted friends and associates. By 1986, Bellavia was a regular crew member who was paid $ 500 per week. Bellavia was involved in most aspects of the crew's business. For example, Bellavia was involved in the crew's juice loan operation. In 1986, Bellavia arranged to receive $ 5,000 per week from the crew to use for juice loans. If one of Bellavia's customers failed to make his payment, Bellavia was responsible to the crew for that payment. Bellavia also collected monthly street tax payments from bookmaker Roman Lewis for crew supervisor Gerry Scarpelli during 1986. At one point, Lewis paid $ 2820 per month.
In 1989, after Ferriola died and Infelise became the boss of the crew, Infelise promoted DeLaurentis to street boss and Bellavia and Marino to his assistants. Like Infelise, Bellavia went to [**36] great lengths to hide his extensive involvement and the income he earned from his participation the crew. For example, Bellavia, Infelise, and Jahoda became involved in the purchase of a partially built condominium project in Addison, Illinois. Bellavia predicted a profit of between $ 500,000-$ 800,000 in the first year alone. The profitability of the deal was to be due in large part to Infelise's ability to influence a corrupt union official to allow non-union labor to be used. A construction loan was also to be arranged through a corrupt banker who would also be sharing in the profits from this real estate venture. Bellavia made it clear to Jahoda that the property would be held in the names of nominees he controlled because "we got to be under the covers." One of the main reasons for the undercover condominium venture was to create a hidden nest egg in the event that Bellavia, Infelise, and Jahoda went to jail.
Bellavia was also involved in the crew's sports bookmaking business and floating blackjack games. Bellavia acted as a 25% agent for the blackjack games. He also supervised the bookmaking activities of subbookmaker Freddie Braun. Braun had been a 50/50 bookmaker supervised [**37] by crew member Bucky Ortenzi. When Ortenzi died in 1986, Bellavia became responsible for collecting the crew's 50% share of Braun's profits. Bellavia also assisted the business by obtaining mobile telephones and service connections from Michael Frietag, a salesman for Illinois Communications Company. Bellavia referred Frietag to Zitello who, acting under a fictitious name, purchased several mobile telephones and service connections. Frietag later supplied Jahoda with more mobile telephones under a variety of fictitious names. Bellavia also referred Frietag to crew members and bookmakers, including Ferriola, Donald Angelini, Dominic Cortina, Roman Lewis, as well as Anne Infelise, Rocco Infelise's wife.
Bellavia also collected gambling debts for the crew. As previously explained, Roy Salerno, one of bookmaker George Miller's bettors, lost $ 100,000 in baseball wagers in the summer of 1983. Salerno's debt was eventually turned over to Infelise who arranged for Salerno to make monthly $ 1,500 payments until his debt was paid off. These collections [*1481] were originally assigned to Marino and DeLaurentis, but they were later taken over by Bellavia. When Bellavia was in California on business, [**38] he would have his son, Chuckie Bellavia, pick up Salerno's payments. Infelise later cashed out Salerno's debt for approximately $ 10,000-$ 15,000.
Joseph Ferriola, 61, Reputed Mob Leader
Published: Monday, March 13, 1989
Joseph Ferriola, the reputed boss of organized crime in Chicago, died Saturday after his second heart transplant in recent weeks. He was 61 years old and lived in Oak Brook, Ill.
Mr. Ferriola died at 2:50 A.M. in Methodist Hospital, where he was a patient of the heart specialist Dr. Michael DeBakey, according to a hospital spokeswoman. She said she had no further information.
In the early 1970's, Mr. Ferriola served a Federal prison term for taking part in a multimillion-dollar nationwide gambling syndicate. Federal officials said he emerged as the head of organized crime in Chicago in 1986, after Joseph Aiuppa and his second in command, John Cerone, went to prison.
Steve Chapman reports: When the Tribune-owned Chicago Cubs wanted permission to install lights at Wrigley Field, Ald. Ed Vrdolyak let it be known it would require an end to editorial criticism of him. An editorial responded that the Cubs would "be playing morning games on a sandlot in Gary first." Vrdolyak -- this will surprise you -- is now headed for prison, another victim of Fitzgerald.
Former Alderman Vrdolyak, recently,plead guilty in the Operation Board Games investigation.Here's more on Vrdolyak: More than just the Town Attorney, Vrdolyak has been involved in Cicero since December 1992, when sources claimed friends of mobster Ernest Rocco Infelise intervened to help elect Betty Maltese, the wife of ailing Town Assessor and convicted mob racketeer Frank J. “Baldy” Maltese, to win election as Town President.
Betty Maltese lied to her political allies and aides, claiming she would reform Cicero Government and distance the town from the illegal practices of her husband, who died six months after her election in April 1993.
Vrdolyak swore Betty Maltese in as president after both her elections in April 1993 and April 1997 and is named the “godfather” of a baby girl Betty adopted in the days immediately following her re-election.
Vrdolyak went to visit this "high ranking made member" of The Chicago Mob before his death.